2018 Minister's Medal

The Minister’s Medal Honouring Excellence in Health Quality and Safety is a competitive, annual award program that recognizes excellent work done by health care partners across the province. Award recipients have demonstrated excellence in engaging patients as partners, as well as enhancing value and quality in our health care system.

The theme of this year's awards is Innovating Integration, which focuses on recognizing the innovative and transformative initiatives being undertaken across the province to improve patient and provider experiences, support better value, and improve health outcomes across the province.

Once again, the ministry will be awarding medals in three categories: one for teams working together to provide excellence in high-quality care; one for individual providers who have demonstrated dedication, vision and leadership in championing high quality care; and, one that recognizes the important contributions of patients, families, and caregivers who have undertaken innovative initiatives within their communities.

The deadline for applying is August 24, 2018 at 5:00 p.m. (EST)

How to Apply

Applications are due to the North West Local Health Integration Network office by 5:00 p.m. (EST) on August 24, 2018.

For more information please visit the official Minister's Medal webpage found here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Minister's Medal and why is it being awarded?

The Minister’s Medal Honouring Excellence in Health Quality and Safety is an annual competitive award program designed to recognize the excellent work done by health care partners across the province, as well as the contributions of patients, families, and caregivers. The annual program recognizes system champions who work with patients as partners while promoting value and quality in the health care system.

How is the Minister's Medal different from other award programs?

The Minister’s Medal is the only recognition program of its kind in Ontario focused on honouring excellence in quality and safety that is open to all health care partners and patients across the province. The Minister’s Medal is not limited to any specific sector or type of provider.

Why apply for the Minister's Medal?

The Minister's Medal is a prestigious and competitive recognition program that highlights the successes of Ontario's health system partners in providing excellent, high-quality, and patient-centred care. Along with showcasing effective collaborations and partnerships with patients to improve Ontario's health system, the medal provides a platform to honour and showcase achievements of health system partners and patients, and allows for the sharing of these successes and best practices across the system.

Benefits of being recognized through the Minister's Medal include:

Participation in the award presentation at Health Quality Transformation, Canada's largest conference on health care quality

Increased profile across the province and beyond, increasing potential for additional partnerships and collaboration

Applying for the Minister's Medal – Eligibility and Selection Criteria

Who is eligible for the Minister's Medal?

The Minister’s Medal is open to all health care partners and patients across Ontario.

Teams and individuals whose work exemplifies collaboration, improvement in outcomes, sustainability and value for quality of care in the health system are encouraged to apply. In particular, the medal aims to recognize the delivery of high-quality care, including a commitment to engaging patients and strengthening partnerships to provide a seamless patient journey.

While Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs) are responsible for receiving applications, eligibility is not restricted to only LHIN-funded providers.

I am a health care provider/ patient and not officially part of a LHIN. Where do I send my completed application?

If your organization does not have direct contractual relationships/accountabilities to the LHIN, please send your completed applications to the LHIN in your geographic region. If the program/initiative spans multiple LHINs, applicants should send their application to the LHIN most familiar with the program/initiative.

If you are unsure as to how to submit your application, please contact the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care at ministersmedal@ontario.ca.

What is the purpose of the Notice of Release of Information section of the application template, and how does it affect the application process?

The purpose of this section in the application is to enable the ministry to acknowledge, spread and share examples of high-calibre work through our website and other methods of knowledge transfer from the pool of applications received. Although there are only three awards, we may publicize information from other applications to showcase collaboration between health system partners and the difference that it is making on patient/client care outcomes.

I would like to nominate someone as an individual provider champion. How do I do that?

Building off of the success from previous years, we are encouraging once again the nomination of individual champions by organizational leadership, peers, or by a patient and/or caregiver. If you are interested in nominating someone as an individual champion, you may fill out an application on the candidate’s behalf or contact the individual directly to encourage them to apply. Assessment and scoring of applications will be based on the information provided in the individual application.

I would like to nominate someone for the patient/caregiver award category. How do I do that?

Building off of the success from last year, the ministry is recognizing the crucial contribution that patients and the individuals that support their care can make in strengthening the health system by providing leadership in patient engagement and enhancing the patient’s voice. The ministry encourages individuals as well as health service provider associations and organizations to nominate patients, family members and caregivers. Assessment and scoring of applications will be based on the information provided in the individual application.

After the Submission of your Application – Review Process

What happens to my application after it has been submitted to my local LHIN?

LHINs will review all applications submitted. The LHIN review will include ensuring overall completeness of the submissions, as well as providing input on the quality of the application.

The LHINs will then forward applications to an external advisory committee via the ministry.

What is the process for determining winners of the Minister's Medal?

The Minister’s Medal is awarded based on a highly competitive and rigorous selection process. Following the LHIN review, applications will be individually reviewed by members of an external advisory committee composed of front-line staff, clinical and sector leaders, researchers and patient representatives. Finally, a committee meeting will be held to determine the team-based, individual and patient, caregiver or family member champion winners of the 2018 Minister’s Medal.

When will the winners be announced?

Winners will be officially recognized at Health Quality Transformation 2018, an annual event hosted by Health Quality Ontario on October 17, 2018.